Geolocation system-enabled speaker-microphone accessory for radio communication devices

ABSTRACT

A communication accessory device is provided for use with a portable communication device like a radio. The accessory device, which couples to the standard communication device, includes a network system that automatically assembles a wireless network among other similarly equipped portable communication devices and control devices in an incident area and automatically assigns a unique identification to each portable communication device. The accessory device also includes a communication system that receives and transmits voice and data communications over the wireless network using at least one of High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF), Super High Frequency (SHF), Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/microwave, public safety band, cellular, satellite, and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) communications. The accessory device further includes a positioning system that automatically and periodically determines a position of the device and automatically transfers the position to control devices via the wireless network.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 60/436,373, filed Dec. 23, 2002. This application also claimspriority from and is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/613,489, filed Jul. 2, 2003, which claimspriority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/393,693, filed Jul. 2,2002, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/395,755, filed Jul. 12, 2002,and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/404,055, filed Aug. 15, 2002.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The disclosed embodiments relate to wireless devices forautomated individual communication, tracking and accountability.

BACKGROUND

[0003] First responders are organizations and personnel that provide lawenforcement, safety and protection services to the public. The firstresponders include law enforcement officers like police, sheriff,highway patrol, detectives, special law enforcement, FBI, DEA, militarypersonnel, border patrol, and others. First responders also include fireand safety personnel, for example, firefighters, emergency medicalservices personnel, Red Cross personnel, and other emergency workers.

[0004] The communications systems and associated command and controlcapabilities used by first responders in responding to an incident orother emergency are typically limited to agency-unique communicationfrequencies and procedures. As a result, the various different groups ofpersonnel that respond to emergency incidents (police and firefighters,for example) are unable to communicate with each other. When differentgroups of first responders need to communicate with each other at anincident scene they typically use “runners” to relay information, oreach group just performs their respective tasks and operates without anytype of unified communication or operation. In some cases, inter-agencycommunications occur by relaying information through the respectivedispatch centers. However, this is a very slow and inefficient way ofcommunicating. The lack of inter-operable communications betweenon-scene agencies can result in ineffective coordination, often withtragic results.

[0005] Further to the very limited communications capability, adequatesituational awareness is also lacking among the first responderpersonnel and among various first responder teams because there is noway to know the location of the various first responders at the incidentscene without constant monitoring of voice communications. However, thelack of voice communications among the different groups of firstresponders means that the only situational awareness even available isthat of the members of the same agency.

[0006] Integral to the lack of situational awareness at an incident siteis the lack of an accurate system for maintaining accountability of thefirst responders at an incident site. The typical methods used tomaintain accountability of first response personnel are manual methods.In each of these manual methods, the principal is to use some physicalmeans of identifying whether a responder is present at the incidentscene, and in some cases to identify where the responder is assignedduring the emergency. Because these methods are manual, they do notprovide a way to accurately account for all first responder personnel atan incident site, nor do they provide ways to dynamically track theactual location or movement of first responder personnel around theincident site as the emergency unfolds. Consequently, the incidentcommand and control personnel (also referred to as Incident Command) donot have detailed information on the location of the first respondersand can lose accountability of first responders. As an example, the lackof intelligence at incident sites has resulted in the loss of numerousfirefighter personnel (over 100 per year in every day fires) as well theinjury of many others (many hundreds) in fires because the incidentcommander was unaware of the dangerous circumstances or lostaccountability of individual firefighters.

[0007] The lack of adequate intelligence information and inter-agencycommunications at incident sites results in incident commanders andfirst responder personnel that lack the detailed information andsituational awareness of the incident scene to effectively respond to anemergency. The cascading effect typically results in slower responsetimes to emergencies and a much higher level of risk for the firstresponders and incident victims. Consequently, there is a need amongfirst responders to have accountability of and interoperablecommunications among all responders at an incident site as well as ahigh level of situational awareness for the first responders in order toprovide greater safety and more efficiency in the use of the resourcesat the incident scene.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0008]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an environment including FirstResponder Communications Systems (FRCS), under an embodiment.

[0009]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing components of the firstresponder communications system, under the embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a communications network establishedamong multiple first responder communications systems, under analternative embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0011]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing components of the command andcontrol system and field devices of the FRCS, under the embodiment ofFIG. 2.

[0012]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the components of the command andcontrol system of the first responder communications system, under theembodiment of FIG. 4.

[0013]FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a first responder portablecommunication device, under the embodiment of FIG. 4.

[0014]FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the information flow from aportable command terminal to a first responder portable communicationdevice, under the embodiment of FIG. 4.

[0015]FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the information flow from afirst responder portable communication device to a portable commandterminal, under the embodiment of FIG. 4.

[0016]FIG. 9 is a Speaker-Microphone Accessory (SMA) coupled to anoriginal equipment manufacturer (OEM) communication device to form aresponder radio, under the embodiments described herein.

[0017]FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the SMA, under an embodiment.

[0018]FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the SMA, under an alternativeembodiment.

[0019] In the drawings, the same reference numbers identify identical orsubstantially similar elements or acts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an environment 100 including a FirstResponder Communications System (FRCS), under an embodiment. FIG. 2 is ablock diagram showing components of the first responder communicationssystem, under the embodiment of FIG. 1. The FRCS, also referred to asthe Automated Incident Control System (AICS) or Mobile Incident ControlSystem (MICS), provides inter-agency and intra-agency communicationsamong first responders including fire, police, border patrol, emergencymedical service, safety, and/or other agencies. The FRCS also supportscommunication among multiple on-scene agencies and various command andcontrol personnel, also referred to as Incident Command, and increasessituational awareness by automatically providing position information aswell as other sensor information.

[0021] Components of the FRCS of an embodiment integrate multiplecommunications channels including, but not limited to, High Frequency(HF), Very High Frequency (VHF), Super High Frequency (SHF), Ultra HighFrequency (UHF)/microwave, public safety band, cellular, satellite, andPublic Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The FRCS also providesposition and time information via Global Positioning System (GPS) and/orother positioning systems, and data from deployed and/or personalsensors to provide enhanced geographical location or geolocation,communications, command and control capabilities to the first respondersand incident command.

[0022] The various functions provided by the FRCS of an embodiment canbe provided by any number or combination of components of the FRCSsystem, and is not limited to being provided as described below.Further, the routing of information/data through the FRCS system can bevia any number or combination of components of the FRCS system, and isnot limited to the routings described below. Likewise, the processing ofinformation/data by the FRCS system can be performed by any number ordistributed among any combination of components of the FRCS system, andis not limited to the processing locations described below.

[0023] In the following description, numerous specific details areintroduced to provide a thorough understanding of, and enablingdescription for, embodiments of the invention. One skilled in therelevant art, however, will recognize that the invention can bepracticed without one or more of the specific details, or with othercomponents, systems, etc. In other instances, well-known structures oroperations are not shown, or are not described in detail, to avoidobscuring aspects of the invention.

[0024] The FRCS of an embodiment, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2,includes a command and control system 10000 and field devices 20000, butis not so limited. Each first responder is equipped with a field device20000 that includes a portable or mobile radio 21000 operating on atleast one interoperable radio frequency, as described in detail below.The portable or mobile radio 21000, also referred to as a responderradio 21000, includes handheld radios, but is not so limited. As eachfirst responder, also referred to as a responder or responder personnel,arrives on scene they can immediately communicate with each other andwith the on-scene incident commander via the field devices 20000 andcomponents of the command and control system 10000. As additionalresponders arrive or are dispatched to the scene, they become part ofthe on-scene commander's team, with instant communications in aself-configuring network formed by the command and control system 10000and the field devices 20000, as described in detail below.

[0025] Components of the FRCS also support incident commandersorganizing teams into specific subgroup teams for purposes ofcommunicating about specific team tasks. As an example, fire fightersentering a building can communicate and coordinate with police andhazardous material (hazmat) teams outside the building using specificcommunication channels set automatically by the commander. However, allon-scene personnel are able to communicate with each other, asnecessary.

[0026] The radios 21000 of an embodiment operate using both line ofsight communications (VHF and/or UHF) and ground wave short wavecommunications (HF), to name a few, thereby increasing the reliabilityof in-building communications within the team and to the incidentcommander. The radios automatically select communicationbands/frequencies using signal information of the bands so that the bestsignal band is always being used. Each of the radios 21000 includes atleast one position/location system that uses some form of GPS technology150. Components of the radios 21000 including the position systemtransfer or transmit a position of each individual first responder tothe commander. In one embodiment, the location is transmitted as datasimultaneously with each voice communication from the responder. Theposition is also transmitted periodically via data-only transmissionsusing a pre-specified period, but is not so limited.

[0027] The radios 21000 also include or are coupled to at least onesensor 22000. The sensors 22000 provide additional data to incidentcommanders about the first responder and/or the environment. As anexample, the sensors 22000 can provide biometric information on thehealth/vital signs of the first responders as well as providing alertsregarding a fire (using heat and/or smoke sensors) and/or gunshots(using frequency sensors). Additional robot sensor devices (not shown)that communicate among the radios and the incident commander can bedropped or placed on the scene as desired.

[0028] The command and control system 10000 of the FRCS of an embodimentis a separate unit or subsystem, but is not so limited. The command andcontrol system 10000 is portable and can be installed in vehicles sothat whoever first arrives at an incident scene can assume the oversightcommand and control function. The command and control system 10000includes a computer system or portable system controller 12000, amulti-band radio transceiver 13000, and a portable command terminal11000, but is not so limited.

[0029] The portable command terminal 11000 can be an existing publicsafety terminal like ones in use for mobile data communications anddisplay. The portable command terminals 11000 of various alternativeembodiments can be a rugged portable computer tablet or laptop computer.

[0030] The portable system controller 12000 enables the self-configuringnetwork among the command and control system 10000 and the field devices20000 as well as the allocation of groups or teams. Further, theportable system controller 12000 controls the radio transceiver 13000.The radio transceiver 13000 also includes additional communicationfrequencies known in the art as well as cellular telephone capabilities.The portable system controller 12000 includes a number of command andcontrol functions, some of which include keyword recognition thatfunctions to decode police and fire ten-code numbers in near real-timeand automatically recognize the level of threat or seriousness of asituation.

[0031] Additionally, the portable system controller 12000 includesnumerous knowledge-based scenarios in a database. These knowledge-basedscenarios are used by the command and control system 10000 to generatepredictions as to the likely progression of an incident, generate and/oractivate situation checklists along with lists of needed resources, andprovide the predictions and checklists to key first responder personnelin near real-time. As such, the command and control system 10000 enablesefficient and rapid deployment of resources at an incident site. Thesefunctions also enable the on-scene command personnel to be highlyeffective by taking advantage of these scenarios and past lessonslearned from the knowledge database.

[0032] As an example in operation, and with reference to FIG. 1, eachfirst responder carries a field device 20000 that includes at least oneradio 21000 operating on an interoperable radio frequency at theincident area 102 and 104. Two incident areas 102 and 104 are depictedfor this example in which FRCS system 3 and FRCS system 4 operate,respectively, but the FRCS is not limited to operation in two incidentareas.

[0033] As each first responder individual arrives on scene they canimmediately and automatically communicate with each other and with theon-scene incident commander via their field devices 20000 and thecommand and control system 10000. As additional responders arrive or aredispatched to the scene, they become part of the on scene commander'steam, with instant communications in a self-configuring network 100. Theresponder radios 21000 operate on HF/VHF/UHF interoperable radiofrequencies, but can also support other communication mediums andprotocols. The responder radios 21000 can simultaneously use more thanone communication band at a time.

[0034] Additionally, communications can be established between variouscomponents of each of FRCS system 3 and FRCS system 4 and various otherorganizations and/or locations. For example, the command and controlsystem 10000-A of FRCS system 3 can establish communications with firedispatcher 110 via coupling 112 and the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency (FEMA) 130 via coupling 132. Likewise, the command and controlsystem 10000-B of FRCS system 4 can establish communications with thecommand and control system 10000-A of system 3 via coupling 106 and thepolice dispatcher 120 via coupling 124. As such, members of multipleresponse agencies (police and fire in this example) at the same ormultiple incident sites are in communication with one another. Thecouplings or communication paths between the various components of thenetwork 100 include wireless connections, wired connections, and hybridwireless/wired connections, but are not so limited.

[0035] The responder radio 21000 includes a Multi-Band Intra-Team Radio(MBITR) platform. Further, the responder radios 21000 supportpeer-to-peer ad-hoc wireless networking, with multi-hop routing of datapackets among the nodes, where each radio 21000 forms a node. Using thisapproach, routing tables are assembled at the receiving end (command andcontrol system 10000) and propagated back though the nodes (fielddevices 20000). Each responder is tracked by a unique global identifiersuch as a Media Access Control (MAC) address provided the by an 802.11xbeaconing function within the peer-to-peer network.

[0036] The responder radios 21000 use a Voice over Internet Protocol(VOIP) local area. network (LAN) for data and audio communications.Voice communications from the responder radio 21000 can pass tocomponents of the command and control system 10000, like the portablesystem controller 12000, and be converted into text data forretransmission to the handheld computers 23000. Likewise, output datafrom the sensors 22000 can register as an alert on the responder radios21000.

[0037] The responder radios 21000 provide location information usingenhanced geo-location technology 150 so that each responder's locationis transmitted to the incident commander at regular intervals viacomponents of the command and control system 10000. The geo-locationsystem includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, but is notso limited. Alternative embodiments of the responder radios can providegeo-location information using at least one of the followingtechnologies alone and/or in combination with the GPS: acoustic rangingand triangulation; locally generated RF signals external to an incidentstructure; external RF infrastructure (e.g., frequency modulation (FM)broadcast signals and/or television signals that enable line of bearingtriangulation into buildings for indoor positioning where GPS signalsare unreliable); wearable devices on the responder's person, clothes,and equipment, for example micro-electromechanical system (MEMS)accelerometers/gyroscopes, that provide additional geo-location inputand positioning data; ultra-wideband (UWB) RF microwave/millimeter wavesystems that automatically generate and transmit regular position andposition update messages; and barometric pressure devices.

[0038] The geo-location system, which is a component of and/or coupledto the field devices 20000, automatically generates and transmitsregular position and position update messages to components of thecommand and control system 10000, for example the portable systemcontroller 12000. The geo-location data is also transmitted to theportable system controller 12000 each time the transmitter of aresponder radio is manually keyed. The responder radios 21000 alsoinclude additional location sensors, sensors that use acoustic and RFtechnologies for example, to increase the reliability of positionreporting for in-building communications. The command and control system10000 includes a mapping system that presents the geographic location ofeach first responder in the network to the incident commander on a two-or three-dimensional map, as described below.

[0039] The responder radios 21000 of an embodiment automatically forwardselect data to components of the command and control system 10000. Inone embodiment, data is forwarded on an exception bases where, forexample, the data is associated with pre-specified events like thepresence of particular contaminants or recognition of a suspectsound/frequency like a gun shot. In the responder radio 21000 of thisembodiment, a knowledge base is included in or coupled to the responderradio and/or the sensor. The knowledge base includes information ofcriteria triggers for the pre-specified events of interest. Using thecriteria trigger, when the value of an item being monitored reaches apre-specified threshold, the data associated with that item is forwardedto the command and control system 10000 and presented as a visual oraudible warning and also brought to the first responder's attentionusing a synthesized voice or a display of the responder radio.

[0040] In another embodiment, the data is to be continuously monitoredand is therefore continuously forwarded from the responder radio21000/sensor 22000. Examples of continuously monitored data include linkmargin parameters, first responder biometric information likerespiration, and/or first responder location. The knowledge base used toevaluate the data is the knowledge base of the command and controlsystem 10000. The knowledge base is used to generatealerts/notifications that a data value/parameter has reached/exceeded apre-specified threshold. Further, the command and control system 10000of this passive monitoring embodiment logs the received data andinterprets the data for trend analysis to support predictive actioninstead of reactive action.

[0041] As a further example of the network capabilities of the FRCS,FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a communications network 300 establishedamong multiple first responder communications systems 1-6, under analternative embodiment of FIG. 1. This example builds on the exampledescribed above with reference to FIG. 1 in that FRCS system 3 and FRCSsystem 4 are now networked with additional FRCS systems 1, 2, 5, and 6.In addition, the FRCS network is coupled among-systems and/or componentsthat include a master system 302, a functional specialist analysissystem 304, and a remote viewing system 306.

[0042] As an example, the master system can gather information of anumber of incident scenes from the FRCS network for presentation tohigh-level officials and/or decision makers. The functional specialistanalysis system 304 can support various levels of analysis ofinformation gathered from the incident scenes, as appropriate. Theremote viewing system 306 supports the graphical presentation ofincident information at any number of viewing sites. There are nogeographical limitations on the locations or proximities of thecomponents of the FRCS network 300, and the couplings or communicationpaths between the various components of the network 300 include wirelessconnections, wired connections, and hybrid wireless/wired connections,but are not so limited.

[0043]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing components of the command andcontrol system 10000 and field devices 20000 of the FRCS, under theembodiment of FIG. 2. As described with reference to FIG. 1, the FRCSincludes a command and control system 10000 coupled among numerous fielddevices 20000. The command and control system 10000 provides athree-dimensional graphical representation of an incident, includinglocations of structures, assets, and personnel, along with a centralizedcommand, control, and communications interactive environment.

[0044] The command and control system 10000 includes a portable systemcontroller 12000 coupled among at least one of a portable commandterminal 11000, keyword lookup engines, tables, and/or systems 14000,command scenario systems or databases 15000, and local storage devices17000. Furthermore, the command and control system 10000 of anembodiment is coupled among at least one command and control transceiver13000. The command and control system can also couple to any number ofexternal devices and systems known in the art, for example, externalstorage devices 41000 and external systems like expert systems and otheranalytical systems that perform near real-time and post-event analysisof data collected from/during an incident along with systems thatgenerate training scenarios.

[0045] The field devices 20000 of the FRCS include, but are not limitedto, first responder radios 21000, sensors 22000, and other portableprocessor-based devices 23000, for example personal digital assistants(PDAs), personal computers, cellular telephones, mobile electronicdevices, mobile communication devices, and other portable computingdevices. Different ones of the field devices 20000 couple in any numberof combinations with various components of the command and controlsystem 10000 to provide for information exchange through the FRCS.

[0046] The communication path between the components of the FRCSincluding the field devices 20000 and the command and control system10000 includes wireless connections, wired connections, and hybridwireless/wired connections. The communication path also includescouplings or connections to or through networks including local areanetworks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks(WANs), proprietary networks, interoffice or backend networks, and theInternet. Furthermore, the communication path includes removable fixedmediums like floppy disks, hard disk drives, and CD-ROM disks, as wellas telephone lines, buses, and electronic mail messages, but is not solimited.

[0047] The communication protocols in use between the components of theFRCS include forward error correction (FEC) and end of messageinformation, but are not so limited. Additional functions includingauthentication, key authentication, and FEC encoder functionality canalso be included.

[0048] Components of the command and control system 10000 and the fielddevices 20000 form a self-configuring network, but are not so limited.In so doing, a portable command terminal 11000 belonging to the on-scenecommander in charge of the response team is designated as the master orprimary terminal, while all other command terminals 11000 at theincident site are slave terminals to the master terminal. This networkconfiguration allows the response effort to be directed and coordinatedby a single authority while allowing the slave terminals to monitor andcontrol specific detailed activities in the engagement area under thedirection of the master terminal/commander.

[0049] The FRCS uses a protocol to dynamically determine/assign masterand slave terminals. The slave terminals are ranked, with the highestranking terminal becoming a backup to the master terminal. As the masterterminal includes all situational information, data, and logs associatedwith an incident, the protocol backs up information of the masterterminal in one or more backup terminals, but is not so limited. Adisplay on the terminal indicates whether the terminal is a master orslave terminal. The protocol also accounts for the seniority of thecommander to whom it is assigned as well as the agency and type ofsituation. The protocol is executed each time a new terminal joins thesystem. As such, a master terminal can be downgraded by the presence ofanother command terminal belonging to a more senior authority.

[0050] Components of the command and control system form monitoringgroups for each responder radio at an incident site. As such, theresponder radios each store a list of other transmitters from whichcommunications are monitored. When a transmitter is on the monitoringlist of a responder radio, components of the responder radio forwardtransmissions from that transmitter to the speaker/display of theresponder radio. The operator of a portable command terminal, forexample, specifies one or more monitoring groups along with a monitoringradius for each radio/group, but is not so limited. Further, themonitoring radius can be adjusted at the responder radio. As responderradios enter/leave the proximity of a monitoring group, the commandterminal automatically updates the monitoring list of the affectedresponder radios of the group.

[0051]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the components of the command andcontrol system of the first responder communications system, includingthe portable system controller 12000, the portable command terminal11000, and the command and control transceiver or radio 13000, under theembodiment of FIG. 4. Each of these components is described in detailbelow.

[0052] The portable system controller 12000 includes but is not limitedto a processor (not shown) running under the control of one or moreroutines, programs, or algorithms. The portable system controller 12000couples among an operating system 502 and at least one of a keyworddatabase, system, or lookup table 14000, a command scenario system ordatabase 15000, a database or local storage 17000, and a messagingsystem or controller 16000. Additionally, the portable system controller12000 is coupled to any number of external devices known in the art forcoupling to processor-based systems, including joysticks 504, keypadsand data entry devices 506, displays 508, microphones 510, speakers 512,and headsets 514.

[0053] The keyword database 14000 receives information in the form ofmessages from the responder radios and the sensors. Upon receipt of themessages, the keyword database 14000 generates a voice or texttranslation, as appropriate. The keyword database 14000 then analyzesthe contents of each message by comparing the received information withpredetermined combinations of codes (ten codes, custom or unique codes,etc.) and other information of interest to the incident commander. Theresults (e.g., matches) of the lookup operations are transferred to thecommand scenario database 15000, but are not so limited. The contents ofthe keyword database 14000 are periodically updated.

[0054] The command scenario database 15000, also referred to as thescenario database 15000, is populated using standard operatingprocedures of the various responder agencies along with information ofthe Incident Control System (ICS), the Emergency Management Resources,and the analysis of post-incident reviews. As such, the scenariodatabase 15000 includes command scenarios and predetermined responsesthat support providing advice to the incident commander regardingpossible actions to be taken during an incident response. Information ofthe command scenarios provides the benefit of the accumulated collectiveknowledge and past experience to enhance the controls for futureengagements. The results of the lookup operations are received in thescenario database 15000 where each result is compared to rules forindividual or collective actions.

[0055] The local database 17000 stores a log of the interactions amongthe portable command terminal 11000, responder radios 21000, and sensors22000. The local database 17000, therefore, supports post-incidentreviews, analysis, and auditing of the response. Further, trainingscenarios are built using the information of the local database 17000.

[0056] The portable command terminal 11000, also referred to as thecontrol console 11000, provides near real-time visualization of anincident using a three-dimensional graphical representation of theengagement area. Shaped and colored icons provide ease of recognitionand interpretation of responders, assets, and status of individuals andassets. The icons display the location of responders/assets and allowfor tracking of radio positions (and therefore responders), assets, andsensors. The control console 11000 is based on a graphical userinterface (GUI) for ease of situational assessment, interaction, andconsequent situational awareness. Pop-ups are used in an embodiment todisplay near-real time conditional changes of interest to the incidentcommander or that require action, significantly enhancing attention todetail and facilitating the automation of tasks. Alternative embodimentscan use any number of display technologies to display the controlinformation. Audible sounds can be used to indicate warnings, alone orin combination with pop-up graphics to alert the incident commander ofsignificant or near critical situations.

[0057] The control console 11000 includes at least one processor (notshown) coupled among an operating system (not shown) and at least one ofa control package that supports various types of incidents, sensors,pop-ups, and maps, but is not so limited. Local command and controlpackages support numerous applications to provide the control andcoordination required for the corresponding application. The controlconsole 11000 provides current information relating to each responderradio 21000 and enables the operator to view the location and activityof each first responder with a responder radio 21000 or field device20000. The control console 11000 also supports communications with theresponder radios 21000 via voice, short messaging including shortmessaging service (SMS) and other text messaging services, non-voicesignaling, and light-emitting diode (LED) signaling. The control console11000 is hosted on a portable personal computer or other processor-baseddevice and provides full support of all technologies used in theresponder radios 21000.

[0058] The control console 11000 provides the local incident commanderwith information concerning the personnel and activities in anengagement, and the ability to direct actions and activities and toassess the situation in order to bring it to a successful conclusion.The control consoles 11000, using various combinations of command andcontrol system 10000 components, locate a position of each of theresponder radios and track the radio movements using the appropriatelocation technology, for example, GPS, radio frequency (RF)identification/direction finding (ID/DF), infrared (IR) techniques,and/or numerous signaling techniques known in the art.

[0059] Further, the control consoles support interactive communicationswith the responder radios via one or more of the following technologies:voice, short messaging, non-voice RF signal, LCD indicator or sound,depending on the particular situation. The control units provide bothselective and broadcast communications capability to the responderradios. The control software enables the operator to automaticallyoverlay the remote positions on an area map appropriate to the incident,thereby enabling the operator to direct the actions and activities ofthe first responder personnel. This capability can be tailored for thedifferent situations encountered by the various types of firstresponders (police, border patrol, firemen, etc.) both in terms of thetype of technologies available and the type of direction and controlthat is required for the situation.

[0060] As in the case of the hardware, the software of the controlconsole 11000 is modular and, as such, provides flexibility andcapability in applications and incidents. The control consoles 11000 canreceive and store various types of software and periodic updates tomaintain flexibility and maximum capability.

[0061] The portable command and control transceiver or radio 13000, alsoreferred to as the command radio 13000, includes communicationcircuitry, antennas, and/or modems to support communication via anynumber of protocols and frequency bands known in the art. For example,the command radio 1300 of an embodiment supports HF, VHF, UHF/microwave,cellular, satellite, and PSTN communications using both analog anddigital protocols. The command radio 13000 supports individual, group(multicast), and broadcast communications with the responder radios21000.

[0062] The command radio 13000 transmits and receives on a commonfrequency for all responders in order to provide an integrated responseby all response agencies. The command radio 13000 of an embodiment usesthe National Weather Service channel link for selective responderalerting. Low power HF provides seamless backup of VHF/UHFcommunications using the ground wave. The command radio 13000 alsocommunicates via the transfer of packet data. In addition, the commandradio 13000 communicates using voice and data messages.

[0063] Referring again to FIG. 4, the FRCS includes numerous fielddevices 20000, including responder radios 21000 and sensors 22000, asdescribed above. The first responders will carry radio handsets as theytypically do when responding to an incident; but in contrast to thetypical responder radios currently in use, the first responder radios21000 provided herein enable the responders to communicate acrossdifferent functional units (i.e., fire to police, police to EMS, etc.)via common channels and frequencies. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of afirst responder radio 21000, under the embodiment of FIG. 4.

[0064] The responder radios 21000 transfer numerous types ofinformation. As such, the radios 21000 enable more control in situationswhere numerous personnel are engaged in activities that require theirmutual and combined efforts, situations that include but are not limitedto police actions involving criminal chases or searches, hostagesituations, firefighter actions in burning structures, fighting forestfires with heavy smoke and wind, border search and control, rescueactivities in fog or inclement weather, and emergency evacuationsituations.

[0065] Each of these situations and the corresponding differing set ofcircumstances are supported by the responder radio 21000 of anembodiment using of a variety of different technologies in order tosuccessfully accomplish the intended purpose. The responder radios 21000support voice transmission and reception using a relatively short-rangeradio within a small incident area. The responder radios 21000 of anembodiment also support first responder position location usingtechnologies including GPS. Further, where first responders are likelyto be in locations where GPS accuracy degrades (for example, insidestructures) and/or accurate position tracking is desired, the responderradios 21000 support position determination using one of severalpossible geolocation technologies including but not limited to enhancedGPS, differential GPS, MEMS accelerometers, dead reckoning, and RFidentification/direction finder (RFID/DF) technology. The responderradios 21000 use a global unique identification number, such as a MediaAccess Control (MAC) address, for identification and display in thecommand console 11000 along with position information, but are not solimited.

[0066] The responder radio 21000 includes at least one processor orcentral processing unit (CPU) coupled among components including atleast one of signal processing devices, memory devices, communicationcircuitry, transmitters, receivers, antennas, modems, network systems,position systems, and encryption devices. The processor of an embodimentincludes a 32-bit processor. Additionally, the responder radio 21000couples to any number of external devices known in the art for couplingto-processor-based communication systems, including displays,microphones, speakers, headsets, keypads, joysticks, and other dataentry devices.

[0067] The components of the responder radios support communication viaany number of protocols and frequency bands known in the art. Forexample, the responder radio 21000 of an embodiment supports at leastone of HF, VHF, UHF/microwave, cellular, satellite, Wireless Fidelity(Wi-Fi), and Bluetooth™ communications using both analog and digitalprotocols. The responder radio 21000 transmits and receives voice anddata messages on common frequencies for all responders in order toprovide an integrated response by all response agencies. The responderradio 21000 of an embodiment receives selective alerts via the NationalWeather Service channel link. Further, low power HF provides seamlessbackup of VHF/UHF communications using the ground wave. The responderradio 21000 also communicates via the transfer of packet data. Theresponder radio 21000 self-configures the communication channels tooptimize data transmission, as appropriate. The responder radios 21000can be addressed individually, as a group (multicast), or collectivelyas a whole (broadcast) from other responder radios 21000 and the commandand control transceiver 13000. The responder radios 21000 are alsocapable of transmitting and receiving packet data communication inaddition to voice.

[0068] As described above, the responder radios 21000 of an embodimentsupport first responder position location using a GPS receiver/locator.In certain scenarios where in-building structures cause loss of signal(LOS) to the GPS receiver/locator, then acoustic, magnetic, MEMSdevices, and/or RF devices are used to pinpoint the geographicallocation of each responder from inside the structure and send theupdated information to components of the command and control system10000.

[0069] The network systems of the responder radio 21000 include aPersonal Area Network (PAN) system that forms the backbone that linksthe various components of the FRCS and provides the management of thecontrol functions. The PAN utilizes USB as its primary data transferprotocol, but is not so limited, thereby providing for peer-to-peeroperation without a computer.

[0070] The responder radios 21000 of an embodiment use location-basedmulticast addressing, but are not so limited. This multicast group IPaddressing scheme is used to map the individual positions of eachresponder radio within the incident scene to a corresponding virtuallocation on the wireless PAN using the IP address of the radio 21000.This mapping component enables the incident commander to view thelocation of each responder radio 21000 on a map display.

[0071] A unique 802.11x peer-to-peer self-configuring ad hoc wirelessnetwork with multi-hop routing of data packets enables the multicastaddressing by automatically connecting each responder radio 21000 in thenetwork to other responder radios 21000 and field devices 20000 andtreating each device as a single network node, using UHF or higher bands(e.g., 902-2400) to make the connection. Each node or device 20000 isthen assigned a unique global identifier (MAC) along with a personalidentification (ID). Using this approach, routing tables are assembledat the command and control system 10000 and propagated back though thenodes (responder radios). Each responder is then recognized and trackedby the global identifier. The MAC ensures that not only the command andcontrol packets sent by the portable system controller 12000 aredifferentiated, but more important, that differentiation is effectiveamong the packets sent by all other field devices 20000 on the networkas well.

[0072] The peer-to-peer self-configuring network is unique because thetwo basic MAC classes of service packets are modified to improvereliability and accuracy. The two basic classes of service supported byMAC are RES packets for routing control and messages, and BE packets forbest effort MAC service. However, use of these classes of service oftenresults in routing updates and maintenance packets that are delayed orlost, causing time-consuming routing updates and a slow networkreporting. For this reason, the FRCS uses a modified MAC that makes allrouting packets high quality priority packets, thus ensuring timelyupdates and a higher quality of data sharing between nodes. Thismodified MAC packet structure thus allows communication among alldevices on the network with a higher degree of reliability and accuracy.

[0073] Priority signal routing on the network is controlled by theportable system controller 12000. The portable system controller keepstrack of all responder and device activities, both data and voice, andperforms an automated analysis using the sensor inputs.

[0074] Additional accessories of the FRCS can improve communications,thereby enhancing the self-configuring network in enclosed areas such ashigh-rise buildings, tunnels, and large complexes (shopping malls, powerplants, and corporate campus areas). The accessories include, forexample, leaky cable systems (which can be pre-installed), andfield-deployable repeater terminals (the remote field deployableterminals contain sensors and communications repeater functions). Evenin those instances where leaky cables are not available and remote fielddeployable terminals are not practical, the standard terminalfunctionality including HF, alternate channel communications, andself-configuring and voting receiver capabilities, enhance the FRCSbeyond typical solutions.

[0075] As an example, a specification follows for the responder radio21000, under the FRCS of an embodiment, but the responder radio 21000 isnot limited to these parameters alone or in combination: Radio HandsetCapability; Two way voice communications via amplitude modulation (AM)and/or frequency modulation (FM); Range up to five (5) milesoutdoors/250,000 sq. ft. or 20 floors indoors; Operates on 30-512 MHz,HF/VHF/UHF frequencies in contiguous 5 and 6.25 kHz steps; Priorityscan, 1 channel; Voice-activated, hands-free operation (VOX) capability;Transmit Output Power up to five (5) watts, user selectable; Audio up to400 milliwatts (mw) depending on level setting; Designed to Mil-Spec 810and IP54 Specifications; Interoperability capable; Multi-channeloperation with (38 Analog and 83 Digital) Interference Eliminator Codes;three (3) Scramble Settings To Reduce Eavesdropping; Channel Scan WithSelectable Scan List; Backlit keypad and interlock; three (3) AudibleCall Tones; VOX sensitivity with three (3) level settings; CloningCompatible (Multi-Unit Charger Required); Panic Button; Short messagemode; Time of day clock with on/off timer; Weather Frequency monitoring,with alert capability; Supports Power Management Mode; SupportsDifferential GPS (RTCM Input); 7.5 Volt, 3000 mAH RechargeableLithium-Ion Battery; AM emergency tone beacon; Backup battery input forReal Time Clock; Drop-In Charger Compatible; Weight approximately 30.6ounces (868 gm) with Lithium-Ion Battery; 6-Pin Multi function topconnector; 10-Pin Multi function top connector; 18-Pin Multi functionside accessory plug for extended upgrades; Backup Battery holder for 5non-rechargeable AA batteries; Standard use Duty Cycle; Current 200 mAreceive; 50 mA receive on power saver; Rapid 6-Hour Plug-In Charger;Radio Holster With three (3) inch Spring Clip; Diversity antennas 30-512MHz; 802.11x wireless peer-to-peer self-configuring communicationssystem.

[0076] As an example, a specification follows for the GPS locator, underthe FRCS of an embodiment, but the GPS locator is not limited to theseparameters alone or in combination: Passive or active antenna; HighPerformance 16 Channel Receiver; Differential Corrections supported;RTCM SC104 R2.1; Very Low Power; 52 mA at 3.3 volts direct current (VDC)full satellite tracking operation; Wide operating temperature range −40C to +85 degrees Celsius; Receiver sensitivity −141 dbm; and WAAScapability.

[0077] The field devices 20000 also include sensors, as described above.The sensors provide data to the command and control system 10000 onvarious parameters including, but not limited to, environmentalconditions, first responder biometric information like vitals, vehicleand other asset status, and situational developments. Each sensor uses aglobal unique identification number, such as a MAC address, foridentification and display in the command console 11000.

[0078] The sensors are deployed in various forms and can be configuredto transmit data based on differing rules. For example, sensors can beincorporated into the responder radios 21000 to monitor the immediateenvironment of the responder. Further, sensors can be carried in/onresponder vehicles in order to monitor critical information around andrelated to the vehicle. Moreover, sensors can be attached to theresponders and/or the responder's clothing/equipment to monitor theindividual vitals. Additionally, groups of sensors can be deployed byother means throughout the engagement area to monitor the incidentenvironment. All of the intelligent sensors are networked together inthe mesh network regardless of whether they are carried on the responderor are otherwise deployed within or around the incident area.

[0079] The FRCS uses any number of sensors known in the art to measure avariety of parameters. Also, the sensor suite included in a responderradio 21000 can be tailored to particular responder activities (police,border control, safety, fire, forest fire, etc). As an example, the FRCSof an embodiment uses the following sensors: smoke (potential fire,danger); radiation (HAZMAT danger); moisture (environmental condition);biological agents (HAZMAT danger); flow meter (water flow in fire hoses,pumps, tunnels or similar areas subject to flooding); ambienttemperature (potential fire, explosion, combustible area); responderbody temperature (responder condition, physical problem, fear, danger);pressure (shockwave); proximity (movement, activity); responder pulserate (responder vitals, physical condition, fear, danger);vibration/motion (senses vehicle movement, structure collapse);equipment status (vehicle condition); motion (vehicle movement, suspectmovement); tachometer (vehicle condition); sound/frequency (gun shot,explosion, vehicle engine, movement); head position (field of vision,blind spot); gas/vapor (carbon monoxide); chemicals (hazardous materials(HAZMAT) danger); visibility/visible light level (environmentalcondition); camera (situational status, suspect tracking); frequencyscanners (monitor suspect radio communications); light (environmentalcondition).

[0080]FIG. 7 is a block diagram 700 showing the information flow from aportable command terminal 11000 to a first responder radio 21000, underthe embodiment of FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a block diagram 800 showing theinformation flow from a first responder radio 21000 to a portablecommand terminal 11000, under the embodiment of FIG. 4. Generally, theinformation flow includes the responder radios 21000 and/or fielddevices 20000 exchanging information with components of the command andcontrol system 10000 using voice information, data (in the form of shortmessages), keystroke combinations, and geo-location information.

[0081] As described above, the field devices 20000 include responderradios 21000. The responder radios 21000 include any of a number ofcommunication devices using any of a number of communication protocolsand frequencies. In addition to the responder radios 21000 describedabove, the responder radios 21000 of an embodiment include a number oforiginal equipment manufacturer (OEM) radios and communication devicesequipped with a Geo-Location-Enabled Speaker-Microphone Accessory (SMA),also referred to as a Geo-Location-EnabledSpeaker-Microphone-Radio-Network Accessory (SMA). FIG. 9 is an SMA 21002coupled to an OEM communication device 21004 to form a responder radio21000, under the embodiments described herein. The SMA 21002 replacesthe existing speaker-microphone attachment on any OEM VHF/UHF portableradio 21004 or communication device with a version that integrates atleast one of GPS capability, a unit ID, a radio module, a network chipand a timer. The combination of the SMA 21002 and the OEM radio 21004provides the same functionality and capability provided by the responderradios 21000 described herein for use in the FRCS.

[0082] The SMA 21002 of an embodiment allows individuals or otherresources to be accurately located by a central command and controlentity using GPS technology, but without requiring the replacement ofthe user's existing portable radio(s). The SMA 21002 of an embodimentcouples to the existing portable radio via an accessory jack of theradio like, for example, the built in speaker-microphone or otheraccessory jack. This strategy greatly reduces the cost of extending theautomated location and dispatching technology to the pedestrian user.The coupling of the SMA to the communication radio does not interferewith or change the operation or functions of the communication radio.The responder can communicate with the standard radio to dispatch orother like responders on an assigned frequency, and can also communicatewithin the incident area on the incident frequency to the incidentcommander or any other responder within the incident area.

[0083] In operation, each transmission using the SMA 21002 broadcastsboth the ID and GPS location information of the radio 21000 to thecommand and control console 10000 over the incident area network, asdescribed above. The transmission can be initiated either manually bythe user or automatically by an internal timer of the SMA 21002 on aperiodic basis. The location and identification information is appendedto the verbal message and transmitted via components of the OEM radio21004, where the components include at least one of a transmitter, atransceiver, and a radio module, but are not so limited. In addition,the responder can communicate voice information via the radio modulespecifically to any responder in the area and all responders are linkedtogether in a wireless network.

[0084] The responder radio 21000 transmits the GPS location informationand identity information interleaved with all SMA 21002 transmissions,but is not so limited. On a regular timed interval basis, the GPSlocation information and the unit ID information is automaticallytransmitted by the SMA 21002 whether or not a manual transmission isinitiated by the user of the radio 21000. In situations where GPSlocation information is not available, the RF data link between the SMAand other components of the FRCS is maintained so that the presence ofthe responder radio 21000 on the network is maintained thereby providinginformation to the Incident Commander as to the presence of thecorresponding first responder at the incident scene.

[0085]FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the SMA 21010, under an embodiment.The SMA 21010 includes at least one of a speaker-microphone subsystem1002, a wireless network subsystem 1004, a paging subsystem 1006, apower subsystem 1008 or power converter, a GPS subsystem 1010 and/orother location subsystem, and one or more antennas 1012 for use incommunications via the wireless network and GPS subsystems, as describedherein. The SMA 21010 can also include a number of other components (notshown), for example, a timer, an ID generator, an encoder, andcomponents that parse the location and ID data to the voice stream andautomatically transmit the parsed data. The SMA 21010 includes a cable1014 for use in coupling components of the SMA 21010 to components of anOEM radio, but various alternative embodiments can wirelessly couple theSMA 21010 and the OEM radio without use of a cable 1014.

[0086]FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the SMA 21011, under an alternativeembodiment. The SMA 21011 includes at least one of a speaker-microphonesubsystem 1102, a wireless network subsystem 1104, a paging subsystem1106, a power subsystem 1108 or power converter, a GPS subsystem 1110and/or other location subsystem, and one or more antennas 1112 for usein communications via the wireless network and GPS subsystems, asdescribed herein. The SMA 21011 can also include a number of othercomponents (not shown), for example, a timer, an ID generator, anencoder, and components that parse the location and ID data to the voicestream and automatically transmit the parsed data. The SMA 21011includes a cable 1114 for use in coupling components of the SMA 21011 tocomponents of an OEM radio, but various alternative embodiments canwirelessly couple the SMA 21011 and the OEM radio without use of a cable1114.

[0087] The SMA 21011 also includes a transceiver subsystem 1120 alsoreferred to as a radio transceiver subsystem 1120 that uses a digitalmodulation technique (for example, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA),Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), etc.) on a frequency bandappropriate to the short range incident area. The frequency band of anembodiment is in the super-high-frequency (SHF) band, or approximatelyin the range of frequencies including 3-30 GHz. As one example, the SMA21011 includes a radio transceiver subsystem 1120 that communicates on afrequency of approximately 2.4 GHz. The frequency band of the radiotransceiver subsystem 1120 of an alternative embodiment is in the publicsafety band, or approximately in the range of frequencies including764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz and using the standard Association ofPublic-safety Communications Officials (APCO) modulation standard forthat band (APCO 25). The transceiver subsystem 1120 communicates withother portable units and with the on-scene command and control consolewithin an incident area. These transmissions are activated by at leastone of proximity, commands from the command and control console, andmanual selection, but are not so limited.

[0088] The SMA 21011 of an embodiment also includes a two-way pager 1106also referred to as a two-way pager subsystem 1106. The two-way pager1106 uses soft keys activated by the existing page alert system in useby the user/responder and also by the on-scene incident command andcontrol console. The soft keys and two-way functionality allow the userto respond with one of several pre-programmed messages to the commandand control console via the pager message transmitter. The use of thistwo-way pager allows text messaging, two-way alerts and textacknowledgement independent of the separately available voice channel ofthe first responder radio 21000. The additional transceiver subsystemalso provides on-scene secure communications for the incident respondersand frees the existing VHF/UHF frequency for more traditional uses atthe same time.

[0089] Information from the responder radios, upon receipt at thecommand and control system 10000, is provided to the keyword database,as described above. A lookup is run for ten-codes and other custom orunique codes and/or code combinations. Sensor data is also provided tothe keyword database and compared against sensor codes or values andsensor combinations pre-populated into the database. The results ofcomparisons run in the keyword database are provided to the scenariodatabase where they are compared to predetermined responses, commandscenarios, triangulation scenarios, information of the Incident ControlSystem, and Emergency Management Resources. Both the keyword databaseand the scenario database are updated by downloading information foreach engagement type from existing or new systems, where the informationincludes standard operating procedures, checklists, and the IncidentControl System, for example.

[0090] The keyword database/system uses a responder-/user-specific setof keywords in conjunction with both user identification (ID) and sensorinputs to generate a “short message” that triggers a look-up table atthe portable command terminal. The look-up table includes information ofappropriate responses and actions. The keyword database/systemrecognizes a set of pre-established command scenarios that includepossible responses to an incident and provides corresponding controlinputs to the commander in charge to assist in decision making. Thecombination of responder/user inputs identifies both the user and thetype of action requested. The keyword system responds with a coded replyin the form of a display or synthesized voice to acknowledgeunderstanding of the action requested. The specific set of keywords andlook-up table responses are unique to both the type of user (police,firefighter, emergency, safety, etc.) and the particular situation(search, structure fire, forest fire, aircraft crash, etc.). Theterminal operator downloads a look-up table and the specific keywords tobe recognized for the type of engagement and user at the beginning ofeach engagement. When a responder radio issues a keyword (along with theother inputs) the keyword automatically generates a block of requests oractions to the console operator and a specific icon on the commandterminal associated with the handset user's ID for quick identificationand response. The terminal operator sends an acknowledgement in the formof a keyword to the user of the action taken. Keywords also integrateten-codes, or aural brevity codes, with other pertinent sensor data toconvey more detailed information about a given situation or condition.The ten-codes of an embodiment include the official ten-codes of APCO,as well as any local or unit-specific codes, but are not so limited.

[0091] The command terminal analyzes and combines keyword inputs frommultiple responder radios at the incident site to better understand thesituation and to direct appropriate action. The command terminaloperator can broadcast keyword responses to multiple or individualresponder radios as required. Keywords issued at a responder radio canalso be relayed through the command terminal, resulting in the issuanceof verbal commands to other responder radios at the incident site.

[0092] The scenario database subsequently or simultaneously providesdata to the command console. The command console displays the responderactivities and all other information related to the engagement on adisplay, for example a GUI. A history is generated from the sensorinputs, the scenario database, and the responder and engagementactivities to provide predictive as well as recommended courses ofaction to the commander via pop-up displays. The actions taken via thecommand console could be in response to an action request, or a commandactivity to prevent or react to a situation. These actions can be manualor automated (with the capability to modify or override by thecommander), voice or data, and transmitted to an individual, group ofindividuals (multicast), or broadcast to all the responderscollectively.

[0093] The engagement history, all action requests and responses,commands and sensor inputs are stored locally in the local database17000 for use in generating post-incident reports and analysis. Otherstorage devices/locations external to the command and control system10000 can also be used for redundancy and survivability. The analysisresults can be used for responder training, training products orsimulators, and for inclusion into the keyword database and the scenariodatabase.

[0094] The command and control system 10000 of an embodiment, asdescribed above, uses automatic pop-up messages/graphics and predictivealert messages to provide information of the incident. Further, numerouschecklists can be displayed via displayed menus in order to help theincident commander ensure that no checklist items are skipped during anincident. The command and control system 10000 supports use ofchecklists consistent with, for example, the California Fire ServicesField Operations Guide (ICS 420-1), but is not so limited. The variousgraphics and messages provided by the command and control system 10000provide the incident commander with the steps necessary to react toemergencies.

[0095] Examples follow of checklists and checklist items that areavailable via displayed menus of the command and control system 10000,for example drop-down menus to the Incident Commander. The command andcontrol system 10000 includes, but is not limited to: checklists ofcommon responsibilities for ICS personnel; unit leader responsibilities;Multi-Agency Coordination System (MACS) checklists, includingresponsibilities of the MACS Group Coordinator; Area Command PositionChecklists including checklists for the Area Commander, the AssistantArea Commander Planning, the Assistant Area Commander Logistics, and theArea Command Aviation Coordinator; Command Position Checklists includingchecklists for the Incident Commander, the Information Officer, theLiaison Officer, the Agency Representative, and the Safety Officer;Operations Position Checklists including checklists for the OperationsSection Chief, the Branch Director, the Division/Group Supervisor, theStrike Team Task Force Leader, the Single Resource, the Staging AreaManager, the Air Operations Branch Director, the Air Tactical GroupSupervisor, the Helicopter Coordinator, the Air Tanker/Fixed WingCoordinator, the Air Support Group Supervisor, the Helicopter BaseManager, the Helicopter Landing Spot Manager, the Mixmaster, the DeckCoordinator, the Loadmaster, the Parking Tender, the Takeoff and LandingController, the Helicopter Base Radio Operator, and the HelicopterTimekeeper; and Planning Position Checklists including checklists forthe Planning Section Chief, the Planning Process, the Resources UnitLeader, the Check-In/Status Recorder, the Situation Unit Leader, theDisplay Processor, the Field Observer, the Weather Observer, theDocumentation Unit Leader, and the Demobilization Unit Leader.

[0096] Continuing with examples of checklists and checklist items thatare available via displayed menus of the command and control system10000, the command and control system 10000 also includes, but is notlimited to: Logistics Position Checklists including checklists for theLogistics Section Chief, the Service Branch Director, the CommunicationsUnit Leader, the Incident Dispatcher, and the Fireline Emergency MedicalTechnician; Hazardous Materials Position Checklists including checklistsfor the Hazardous Materials Group Supervisor, the Entry Leader, theDecontamination Leader, the Site Access Control Leader, the AssistantSafety Officer-Hazardous Materials, the Technical Specialist-HazardousMaterials, and the Safe Refuge Area Manager; Multi-Casualty PositionChecklists including checklists for the Multi-Casualty Branch Director,the Medical Group/Division Supervisor, the Triage Unit Leader, theTreatment Unit Leader, the Air/Ground Ambulance Coordinator; and HighRise Structure Fire Position Checklists including checklists for theBase Manager, the Ground Support Unit Leader, the Lobby Control UnitLeader, the Systems Control Unit Leader, the Staging Area Manager, theMedical Unit Leader, and the Safety Officer.

[0097] The predictive alert capability allows the incident commander totrack firefighters until they enter a building, and then provides aclock depiction of how long the firefighter remains in the building,based upon the oxygen in his tank upon entry. As the firefighter'soxygen is depleted an alert will flash, indicating that it is time forthe firefighter to leave the scene and go to the rehabilitation area.

[0098] Predictive alerts are also presented to the incident commanderfrom information of the sensors that are in use at the incident scene.Numerous sensors can provide information that supports the display ofalerts to the incident commander including, but not limited to: smoke,moisture, pressure, temperature, proximity, vibration, motion, sound,gas, chemicals, radiation, biological, flow meter, pulse rate, runstatus, tachometer, head position, external source, video, camera,scanner, visibility, and light.

[0099] The FRCS of an embodiment provides the functions described aboveusing at least one processor running under control of one or morealgorithms, programs, or routines. In particular, and with reference toFIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the algorithms include algorithms controlling themessaging controller or system 16000, the storage or database system17000, the knowledge system that includes the keyword database or system14000 and the command scenario database or system 15000, and the userinterface, as described in the Related Applications.

[0100] The messaging system of the FRCS generally includes at least onemessage router and at least one message parser, as described above, andwith reference to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, and in the Related Applications.Regarding the message router, all information flows throughout thesystems and components of the FRCS in the form of messages. Eachcomponent/system of the FRCS is aware of every other component/systemand knows the best route path for each message type to reach its target.Each message received is copied to each other component/system in thelisten-to list or publish-to list. In addition, each message isforwarded to the message parser. Further, the message router keeps a logof each message, to the limit of available memory, and makes a decisionfor each message received if it has already been handled, and if so,dropped from the cue to prevent further processing. The message parser,upon receipt of a message, forwards a copy of the message to each of theother major software systems, storage, knowledge, GIS, ICS.

[0101] The storage system of the FRCS, as described above, and withreference to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, and in the Related Applications, keeps acopy in local storage of each message received by the components/systemsof the FRCS. Upon startup, the storage system requests updatedinformation meeting the scenario, range and time specifications. Thestorage system is capable of replying to an update request message of arequester or requesting device by returning all message traffic withinthe scenario, range, and time specification of the requester.

[0102] The knowledge system of the FRCS generally includes at least oneself-configuring command and control system, at least onevoice-to-text/text-to-voice (TTV/VTT) system, at least one patternrecognition system, and at least one text recognition system, asdescribed above, and with reference to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, and in theRelated Applications. The command and control system includes at leastone database that allows an operator to specify the command priority ofeach device and, in the absence of an operator, determines the commandpriority based on preexisting data. The command and control systemfurther includes a user interface that is provided in the ICS system. Asdevices are added and removed from the network, the CNC systemautomatically changes the command priority of active devices.

[0103] The TTV/VTT system of an embodiment receives each message or acopy of each message routed to the knowledge system. The TTV/VTT systemupdates received messages by appending either the audio version of themessage or the text version of the message to the message, asappropriate. After the message is updated, it is passed back to themessage parser.

[0104] The pattern recognition system also receives each message or acopy of each message routed through the FRCS system and performs atleast one comparison on the received messages. When the comparisonsresult in a match, the knowledge system generates a new message with theadditional information and passes this message back to the messageparser.

[0105] Likewise, the text recognition system or filter receives eachmessage or a copy of each message routed through the FRCS system andperforms at least one comparison on the received messages. When thecomparisons result in a match, the knowledge system generates a newmessage with the additional information and passes this message back tothe message parser.

[0106] The user interface system of the FRCS generally includes at leastone physical interface, at least one audio interface, and at least onevisual interface, as described above, and with reference to FIGS. 2, 4,and 5, and in the Related Applications. Each of the physical, audio, andvisual interfaces receives a copy of each message routed through theFRCS system. The physical interface includes keyboard, mouse, andvibrator components, but is not so limited. The audio interface includesmicrophone and speaker components, but is not so limited.

[0107] The visual interface of an embodiment includes visual indicatorslike LEDs and strobe lights in addition to the GIS system and ICSsystem. The visual interface manages and controls the on/off state aswell as the intensity of the visual indicators in response to messagesreceived by the visual interface.

[0108] The GIS system includes a map of GIS and facilities data alongwith the capability to display environmental information and unitinformation. The map can display GIS and facilities information and,further, can provide a sand table to enable the user to manually addfacilities information. The sand table supports an operator selectingvarious templates of facilities information and adding these to the map.

[0109] The GIS displays include static geographical informationincluding but not limited to mountains, streams, and trees. Thefacilities displays include static geographical information likebuildings, roads, bridges, for example.

[0110] The display of environmental information includes the display ofnon-unit specific sensor information. Examples include a heat log wheremultiple location specific temperature readings are combined into ahistogram of area temperature information.

[0111] The display of unit information includes the ability to displayinformation of multiple units. Each unit includes an avatar to displayphysical information and a breadcrumb trail to display history oflocation. The avatar includes an avatar object along with various sensordisplay outputs, as appropriate. The avatar object is an icon used toidentify the unit and includes color, shape, and size information todepict other information of the unit. Each display of unit-specificsensor data is represented with a graphical object. The bread crumbtrail provides a visual track of the physical locations of a unit.

[0112] The ICS system includes at least one task tracker and at leastone asset tracker, but is not so limited. Depending on the messagereceived by the ICS, indicators and pop-ups are provided as a visualalerting or notification tool for the incident commander or operator toquickly know the particulars of a situation or event.

[0113] The task tracker includes a library of action items andinformation made available to the operator. A table of contents providesconvenient access to the library by providing an index for the operatorto find the information for which he/she is looking.

[0114] For each task there is a list of information organized in a tasklist that is made available to the operator. The task list can providethe ability for the operator to enter data, but is not so limited. Whendata is entered into the task list by the operator, the entered data istransferred to the messaging system for disposition by the appropriateresponder or incident commander.

[0115] The asset tracker includes an asset list that supports operatorviewing/modifying of detailed information relating to the assets, whereeach asset corresponds to a unit in the GIS. The operator has theability to specify the command priority of each asset.

[0116] Aspects of the SMA may be implemented as functionality programmedinto any of a variety of circuitry, including programmable logic devices(PLDs), such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmablearray logic (PAL) devices, electrically programmable logic and memorydevices and standard cell-based devices, as well as application specificintegrated circuits (ASICs). Some other possibilities for implementingaspects of the SMA include: microcontrollers with memory (such aselectronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM)),embedded microprocessors, firmware, software, etc. If aspects of the SMAare embodied as software at least one stage during manufacturing (e.g.before being embedded in firmware or in a PLD), the software may becarried by any computer readable medium, such as magnetically- oroptically-readable disks (fixed or floppy), modulated on a carriersignal or otherwise transmitted, etc.

[0117] Furthermore, aspects of the SMA may be embodied inmicroprocessors having software-based circuit emulation, discrete logic(sequential and combinatorial), custom devices, fuzzy (neural) logic,quantum devices, and hybrids of any of the above device types. Of coursethe underlying device technologies may be provided in a variety ofcomponent types, e.g., metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor(MOSFET) technologies like complementary metal-oxide semiconductor(CMOS), bipolar technologies like emitter-coupled logic (ECL), polymertechnologies (e.g., silicon-conjugated polymer and metal-conjugatedpolymer-metal structures), mixed analog and digital, etc.

[0118] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including,but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number alsoinclude the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, thewords “herein,” “hereunder,” “above,” “below,” and words of similarimport, when used herein refer to this application as a whole and do notrefer to any particular portion of this application. When the word “or”is used in reference to a list of two or more items, that word coversall of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items inthe list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the itemsin the list.

[0119] The above descriptions of embodiments of the SMA are not intendedto be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formsdisclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the SMA aredescribed herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalentmodifications are possible within the scope of the SMA, as those skilledin the relevant art will recognize. The teachings of the SMA providedherein can be applied to other processing systems and communicationssystems, not only for the systems described above.

[0120] The elements and acts of the various embodiments described abovecan be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changescan be made to the SMA in light of the above detailed description.

[0121] All of the above references and United States patent applicationsare incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the SMA can bemodified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and concepts ofthe various patents and applications described above to provide yetfurther embodiments of the SMA.

[0122] In general, in the following claims, the terms used are not to beconstrued as limiting the SMA to the specific embodiments disclosed inthe specification and the claims, but should be construed to include allsystems that operate under the claims to provide first respondercommunication and location systems. Accordingly, the SMA is not limitedby the disclosure, but instead the scope of the SMA is to be determinedentirely by the claims.

[0123] While certain aspects of the SMA are presented below in certainclaim forms, the inventors contemplate the various aspects of the SMA inany number of claim forms. For example, while only one aspect of the SMAis recited as embodied in a computer-readable medium, other aspects maylikewise be embodied in a computer-readable medium. Accordingly, theinventors reserve the right to add additional claims after filing theapplication to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects ofthe SMA.

What we claim is:
 1. A communication accessory device for use with aportable communication device, comprising: a network system thatautomatically assembles a wireless network among other portablecommunication devices and control devices in an area and automaticallyassigns a unique identification number to each portable communicationdevice; at least one communication system that receives and transmitsvoice and data communications over the wireless network using at leastone of High Frequency (HF) communications, Very High Frequency (VHF)communications, Super High Frequency (SHF) communications, Ultra HighFrequency (UHF)/microwave communications, public safety bandcommunications, cellular communications, satellite communications, andPublic Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) communications; a positioningsystem that automatically and periodically determines a position of thedevice and automatically transfers the position to at least one of thecontrol devices via the wireless network; and at least one coupling withthe portable communication device.
 2. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising at least one of a speaker system, a microphone system, and aspeaker-microphone system.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein theportable communication device includes at least one of a portabletwo-way radio, a portable two-way pager, a cellular telephone, and aportable processor-based communication device.
 4. The device of claim 1,wherein the at least one coupling with the portable communication deviceincludes at least one of a wired coupling, a wireless coupling, and ahybrid wired/wireless coupling.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the atleast one communication system includes at least one transceiver systemfor use in a short-range incident area.
 6. The device of claim 1,wherein the at least one communication system includes at least onetwo-way pager system for communications that are independent ofcommunications of the coupled portable communication device, wherein thepager system provides at least one pre-programmed response to a user foruse in responding to received messages, wherein the pre-programmedresponses are reprogrammable.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein thepositioning system includes at least one of a Global Positioning System(GPS), a Radio Frequency Identification/Direction Finding (RFID/DF)system, an accelerometer-based system, a dead reckoning system, aninfrared (IR) system, an acoustic system, a triangulation system, and asignaling system.
 8. A communications system, comprising: a plurality ofmobile communication devices; a communication accessory device coupledto the mobile communication devices, the accessory device including anetwork subsystem and a positioning subsystem, the network subsystemautomatically assembling a wireless network among the mobilecommunication devices for information transfer and automaticallyassigning at least one unique identification number to each mobilecommunication device, the positioning subsystem automatically generatingposition information of each mobile communication device; and at leastone control system coupled for information transfer with the pluralityof mobile communication devices, the control system tracking and mappingindividual positions of each mobile communication device using theposition information and identifying each mobile communication device onthe map using the identification number.
 9. The system of claim 8,wherein communications among the mobile communication devices and thecontrol system occur using at least one of High Frequency (HF)communications, Very High Frequency (VHF) communications, Super HighFrequency (SHF) communications, Ultra High Frequency (UHF)/microwavecommunications, public safety band communications, cellularcommunications, satellite communications, and Public Switched TelephoneNetwork (PSTN) communications.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein thepositioning subsystem includes at least one of a Global PositioningSystem (GPS), a Radio Frequency Identification/Direction Finding(RFID/DF) system, an accelerometer-based system, a dead reckoningsystem, an infrared (IR) system, an acoustic system, a triangulationsystem, and a signaling system.
 11. The system of claim 8, wherein theinformation transfer includes voice information and data.
 12. The systemof claim 8, wherein the identification number is a media access control(MAC) address, wherein the MAC address is associated with routingpackets having modified priorities, wherein the routing packets are highquality packets that provide reliable communication between theplurality of mobile communication devices and the control system. 13.The system of claim 8, wherein the control system further comprises agraphical user interface (GUI) that displays the individual positions ofeach mobile communication device on a three-dimensional map.
 14. Thesystem of claim 8, wherein the identification number is a media accesscontrol (MAC) address, wherein location-based multicast group InternetProtocol (IP) addressing is used to map the individual positions of eachmobile communication device within an incident scene.
 15. A method forautomatically tracking and communicating among mobile communicationdevices, comprising: coupling a communication accessory device to eachof a plurality of mobile communication devices and automaticallyassembling a wireless network among the mobile devices and controlsystems in an area using at least one component of the communicationaccessory device, wherein assembling includes adding mobile devices andcontrol systems to the wireless network as they arrive in the area andremoving mobile devices and control systems from the wireless network asthey depart the area; receiving voice and data communications from eachof the mobile devices of the wireless network, wherein the datacommunications include position and identification information of eachmobile device of the wireless network; tracking a position and status ofa mobile device using the position and identification information; andgenerating a map of an engagement and displaying individual positions,tracks, and identifications of each mobile device of the wirelessnetwork using the position and identification information.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, further comprising: comparing information of thevoice and data communications with historical scenario and responseinformation; generating predictions of engagement progress using resultsof the comparison; displaying the predictions on the map; and updatingthe historical scenario and response information to include at least oneof the information of the voice and data communications and thegenerated predictions.
 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:comparing information of the voice and data communications withhistorical scenario and response information; generating recommendedcourses of action using results of the comparison; displaying therecommended courses of action on the map; and updating the historicalscenario and response information to include at least one of theinformation of the voice and data communications and the generatedrecommended courses of action.
 18. The method of claim 15, whereintracking a position and status further comprises: generating ahistorical position trace for each first responder; and displaying theposition trace on the map.
 19. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising receiving sensor data from at least one sensor of at leastone mobile device.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:comparing the sensor data with historical scenario and responseinformation; generating predictions of engagement progress using resultsof the comparison; displaying the predictions on the map; providingindications on the display to indicate at least one of criticalconditions and critical situations; updating the historical scenario andresponse information to include at least one of the sensor data and thegenerated predictions; and generating recommended courses of actionusing at least one of the results of the comparison and the predictions.